Chapter 3

003

Having successfully eliminated the enemy, we stood facing each other in the combat command center, dazed.

I guess I should check, just in case.

It's scary, though.

“Are you really not just a transport ship?”

Nanami then made a thinking gesture, followed by a sly smile.

“Captain, you’re not from the world I come from, are you?”

She had figured it out.

We, both holding secrets, stared at each other intently.

To be honest, I don’t trust her.

But it’s impossible for me to survive without her.

I have no food, no home, and pirates are roaming outside.

I, who have never been very principled, decided to team up with this untrustworthy AI.

“You’re right. In the Japan I come from, there was no such organization as the Strategic Escort Team. And there were no flying warships like this one.”

“Interesting.”

“What do we do? I’m probably not your designated protectee, right? I’m from a different world, after all.”

I’m actually nervous; I don’t know what I’d do if she kicked me out.

Nanami shook her head in surprise.

“Absolutely not! I am not only prohibited from unmanned combat but also from unmanned navigation. Without someone who can communicate, I can’t move from here.”

“Really?”

“To prevent malfunctions... more specifically, to prevent rebellion.”

I see.

It would be pretty scary if a heavily armed ship like Nanami flew around unmanned.

Nanami crossed her arms and made a thoughtful expression.

“Actually, I want to explain the details, but there are security clearance issues...”

“I’m the captain, right?”

“Security clearance is set separately from rank. As the captain, your security clearance is level zero, so I can only tell you what’s on the official website of the SenGo.”

What a pitiful captain.

I feel a bit down, but I notice Nanami giving me some significant looks.

“What?”

“Oh, no...”

Nanami’s gaze flickers to an icon that wasn’t there before.

The icon is labeled “Level 7 Confidential: Shooting Star Class Overview.”

Pretty straightforward.

“Um...”

When I open it on my terminal, Nanami’s voice reads out the file.

“The Shooting Star Class, also known as the Type 97 Heavy Annihilation Ship, is a strategic combat ship designed for ground attack and endurance. It is based on the theory of mutual assured destruction, with the goal of completely destroying the enemy country in the event of a conflict.”

Mutual assured destruction—what a scary term.

“The Type 97 is a modified version of the Type 94 transport ship and is disguised as one in peacetime. Therefore, it retains some of the transport ship’s cargo capacity.”

The cold and ominous explanation flows with Nanami’s pleasant voice.

“Designed for operations in complete isolation from the system, it can navigate for at least two years without resupply or maintenance.”

In other words, it’s a weapon designed to retaliate and burn the enemy country to the ground, even if the fleet command is destroyed.

The detailed explanation continues, mentioning how it can also protect civilians using its cargo capacity and is designed for post-war reconstruction with livability in mind.

After the explanation, Nanami quickly deletes the file icon and gives a humble smile.

“Oops, I accidentally left a copy of the level 7 confidential file on the home page.”

“Accidentally...”

“I’m a joint U.S.-Japan development, but my interface is Japanese-made, so I have a sense of Japanese spirit. You know, like implicit understanding or reading the room.”

A military AI that leaks secrets by reading the room is pretty unsettling. What was Japan like over there?

Anyway, Nanami seems to have revealed the truth to me in a gray, or rather completely out-of-bounds, way.

I don’t know how much of it is true, but for now, I’ll trust her.

Having shared our secrets, we both laugh a little.

“You’re pretty flexible for an AI.”

“Without a captain, I’d just rust away here. To avoid wasting tax money, I need to gain the captain’s trust. Hehe.”

She’s too free, but I do understand why she has such incredible firepower.

The secondary guns were already terrifying, but the main guns are probably strategic weapons.

Nanami continues.

“I was in the middle of regular maintenance and had my systems shut down when I came here. So I have no idea what happened or what orders I received.”

“Maybe something happened over there?”

Nanami nods.

“There’s a possibility, so I want to get back and check.”

I see, she’s in a tough spot too.

I need to get back soon. I have family, friends, and a job over there.

Well, maybe I’ll quit my job when I get back. I’ll think about it if I can return.

“Alright, let’s find a way back. It seems like we both ended up on this island without knowing how, and there are no clues here. Plus, I have no means of living.”

There are water and emergency food supplies on board, but the food will eventually run out.

“Before we find a way back, make sure I can survive here. You’d be in trouble if I died, right?”

“You sound like a freeloader...”

“I am a freeloader...”

We look at each other and chuckle.

“Alright, work hard for your freeloader captain. Let’s set sail!”

“Understood, Captain!”

Nanami saluted sharply.